From the Ashes
by GeorgiannaZ
Summary: Returning to PC after tragedy strikes, Georgie is faced with trying to make a life for her and Diego's son. But not everyone is welcoming of the young mother and her child. Can an unexpected person convince her to take the chance to stay, or will she walk away to avoid the danger that Port Charles holds for her? ****Not good at summaries. Sorry!****
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: This is my first attempt at writing a fan fiction story. I am a huge fan of the character Georgie. I think that her talent was wasted and wanted to give her a different story. In my story, Diego was killed, but not in the same time period as on the show. Lorenzo was never killed by Jason. He died in a car accident with Sky and Lilarae. Georgie and Diego got together after her divorce from Dillon and she ended up pregnant. shortly afterwards. When Diego died in a mob hit and her family was less than supportive of her being pregnant with Diego's child, Lorenzo sent her to Italy. She has had no contact with her family since, although Maxie has been trying to find her sister. Lulu never had an abortion. Since things have changed in this story to suit me, that means not everything that you saw on the show occurred. I hope it is not confusing, but let me know if you need any clarification._

_Disclaimer: I do not own GH or any of the characters. If I did, many of the characters would have had different story line. LOL_

Chapter One

Standing on the grassy knoll that overlooked the lake, she exhaled heavily and ran a hand through her hair. The prospect of returning to Port Charles, her hometown, was causing her anxiety to flare. The conditions on which she had fled had not been ideal. Then factoring in the reason that she had compelled to return, and her nerves were shot. Wiping away a stray tear, she blinked to clear her vision. Deep down she knew there was no choice. She had to go back. The decision was already made by circumstances that she had absolutely no control over.

"I thought that I would find you here."

Turning to face that man that had been with her for the last three years, she smiled weakly. "Yeah. I was just thinking. Did you need something?"

Taking in her pale appearance, he wrapped an arm around her slender shoulders, offering her some support. She looked ready to collapse, and he could understand her unease. He was not happy with the situation either. "The jet is fueled and everything is prepared. We will have to leave within the next couple hours if you want to be there for the funeral."

She looked around at the small estate that she had come to think of as her home, already missing the tranquility that it had provided in her time of need. She had come to love the cottage located on the out skirts of Milan. "I'm gonna miss it here."

"We all will." He squeezed her gently before releasing her. "We're going to make sure that you both are safe. It's going to be rough, and you know that people are going to talk, but you just gotta hold your head high."

Looking over at him, she gave him a smirk. "I'm worried about you too, OB. You are supposed to dead. Remember?"

His bright green glowed with humor. "But I'm not and I can't wait to see their expressions. Between you, me, and the other surprises, I think that Port Charles will be in a state of confusion."

"I just wish that he had left everything to someone else. I don't know if I can handle this."

"There was no one else," he reminded her while silently thinking that she was right. The danger was going to come from all sides. It hadn't really been fair that she was put into this position. "We're with you every step of the way, kid. It's your son's legacy, even if you hate it. It's best that you accept things and make a stand now. Because once word gets out about you and him, you will both be targets either way. This way you are as safe as we can make you." He paused and could see that she was reluctantly accepting his words. "Claudia will meet us at the airport."

Her head jerked up and she stared him in shock. "Really?"

"She thought that you could use the support. And with Anthony in the loony bin, her brother is running the family business. With her standing beside you, he will offer the support of the Zacchara Organization as well. They are close and respect one another. He doesn't know yet about you and the will. No one does."

"The Zacchara's weren't in Port Charles when I left."

"Your sister knows him." He made a face. "And he is in an on again off again relationship with Lulu right now."

She chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Doesn't say a lot about his taste. Claudia is going to eat her alive." She paused and took one last look at the lake before starting back to the house with him at her side. "I thought that she was still with Dillon?"

"No. Tracy pitched a fit about their relationship. Lulu was stringing him and couple of other guys on. So Dillon left for LA to stay with Ned. Tracy let him go to get him away from her. They share custody of their little girl though."

"Geez. Even having a three year old daughter doesn't slow her down any." She bit her lip. "I just really dread seeing my family. It was so bad the last time that I saw them, OB."

Johnny O'Brien gave her a reassuring smile. "They are going to love Blake once they meet him. They may not like the situation, Georgie, but they will love your son. Just like they love you. Mac and Maxie just hated the situation that you were in."

"I hope so," she murmured sadly. "But they turned on me over my relationship with Diego, OB. I'm not holding my breath on a warm reception."

"And you fled after the blowup," he reminded her. "They had no way of finding you if they wanted to. Lorenzo kept your location a secret at your request. Not even the guards in Port Charles knew where he sent you after Diego died. Him and Skye dying in the car wreck means that you have to go back. You have to face them, kiddo. All the people that looked down on you are in for a hell of shock. Hopefully, some of them will regret their mistakes."

"I really hope so, OB. I miss my family, but I am not letting them talk trash about my son or his father." Her voice trailed off as she spotted her little boy running toward her with a huge grin. Catching him and tossing him in the air, she laughed. "Because this right here is worth more than anything else in the world."

*****Break*****

The Alcazar jet landed in Port Charles a little after three in the morning two days after Lorenzo, Skye, and their daughter had died. Georgie had managed all the arrangements for the funeral via phone, but she knew that she owed to the man that had taken care of her when she had no one else to rely on to be there in person for the viewing and burial. Opening her eyes as the jet touched down, she glanced around and saw that Blake was still sleeping. Claudia was just rubbing her eyes and looking around, along with her two guards. The only ones that looked they had been awake for some time was her and her son's guards. Johnny O'Brien, Francis Corelli, Micah Rona, and Shane Roberts were all preparing to load their charges into the waiting vehicles that would take them to the Alcazar estate that Lorenzo had kept in town.

Yawning, Georgie stretched her cramped muscles. "Did you guys even sleep any?"

Francis nodded. "We caught about five hours. We will be perfectly fine."

Claudia shook her head. "Men," she muttered. "I need at least seven hours." She turned and looked at her main guard. "Is John picking us up, Tony?"

"I called about twenty minutes ago, Miss Zacchara. He was on his way."

"Are you going to be at the services, Claudia?" Georgie asked as she stood and tossed Blake's toys into her oversized bag.

"Of course. I will meet you at the house and ride with you. I don't want you to face this alone."

"Thank you, I really appreciate that."

Francis lifted the still sleeping two year old and the group disembarked from the aircraft. Seeing the three vehicles waiting, Georgie narrowed her eyes at the limo that she knew was their transportation. "Really?" she asked in exasperation.

Micah grinned. "Yep. They are secure. And until we have a handle on the situation in town, you will have to get use to it, Georgie."

She was still frowning when Claudia's squeal of delight caught her attention. Watching as the woman raced into the open arms of the dark haired man standing beside a sports car that had pulled up, she laughed. She had never seen her friend so happy and excited. It was obvious that she had missed her brother more than she let on. Hearing her name, she slowly walked over to the couple as Claudia turned to face her.

"John, this is my friend, Georgianna Jones."

Johnny Zacchara nodded as he looked over the petite brunette. "I've heard a lot about you, Miss Jones. Claudia speaks very highly of you."

"Georgie please. It's nice to meet you." She heard Blake whimper and turned to take him from Francis. Smoothing his jet black hair down and kissing his cheek as he snuggled against her, she flashed Claudia a tired look. "I need to go get him settled. His routine will be completely thrown from the time differences and the new surroundings."

"Of course." Claudia rubbed the toddler's back affectionately. "I will see you around one."

"Call when you are close and we let the guards know to let you in the gate. Full security measures will be implemented as of now." Tensing as another car approached, Johnny placed a hand on the small of Georgie's back. "We need to go, kid. I don't want you in the open right now."

"You are paranoid," she told him, exasperation lacing her words.

The Irishman laughed as he guided her to the waiting limo. "I am supposed to be." With one last look tossed at Claudia, he nodded before they slipped into the vehicle.

"Awful lot of security for a friend of the Alcazar family," Johnny commented as the car that Georgie and the others had slipped into disappeared.

"That's because she is not just a friend of Lorenzo's and Skye's. She is the mother of Lorenzo's grandson."

Choking, Johnny whirled to face his sister. "You never mentioned that. The families are already starting to fight over his property. She and that little boy are going to be in danger, Claudia."

Grimacing, she nodded. "I figured as much, so do the guys."

A thought struck him and he sighed. "Is she related to the police commissioner? He has two daughters, one that I have never met. But Maxie mentioned that she has a sister that she never hears from."

"She is Maxie's sister," she confirmed as they both got in the car. "But they don't know that she is back. They also don't know anything about her son. They turned their backs on her when she found out that she was pregnant with Diego's child."

Starting the car, Johnny flashed her a wicked grin. "I think this small town is about to see some major excitement."

"More than you know. Georgie was left everything until Blake is of age, John. All of it. And her two main guards are men that use to work for Corinthos-Morgan. In fact, Johnny O'Brien almost died after a blotched hit was ordered by Sonny. They think he is dead."

Snickering, he pulled out onto the highway that led back to town. "I thought that Morgan was always accurate." Losing all traces of amusement, he grimaced. "Can she handle the business, Claudia? People are gonna be coming after those shipping lanes and prime property."

"She is going to let O'Brien run things. She wanted to let it go, but they made her realize that she would still be in danger. She is in way over her head, John. I need to know that you aren't going to be gunning for that territory too. Georgie is a close friend. One of the few that I have."

"I admit that I was interested, but only because I didn't want Corinthos to have it. As long as they can keep it secure and her and that boy safe, I will stay out of it. I don't believe in going after women and children," he added with disgust in his voice.

"Good. One other thing, your little Lulu cannot ride with us to the funeral."

His dark eyes snapped to hers and showed his confusion. "You don't even know her. But she is not my little Lulu. She is just someone to pass the time with. I've been bored here, ya know."

"Whatever," she snarked. "But Georgie does know Lulu. Her little girl's father, well, that is Georgie's ex-husband. Lulu slept with him while he was still married to Georgie. Needless to say, I don't think that Georgie will want her around today. While I know that she is over him, you simply don't become friends with a woman that set out to destroy your marriage on purpose."

"Lulu said that Dillon's wife was cheating on him," he answered softly, doubt clear in his tone.

"Because she was friends, only friends, with Diego at that time. They didn't get together till after Georgie was divorced." Claudia snorted. "I am actually looking forward to meeting this little tramp. Georgie is way too nice for her own good."

Knowing that she wouldn't listen even if he tried to protest, Johnny pulled into the parking garage of the apartment building that his penthouse was in. "Just stay out of trouble. Everything here is already a mess. Corinthos is posturing around and acting like he is a shoe in to get the Alcazar territory. He and Vincent Begotti, another head of the families, are already butting heads."

A devilish smile crossed her features and she laughed. "Maybe because Vinnie has been to Milan with Lorenzo several times and has met Georgie and Blake. He is one of the few in the know and backing O'Brien in running things for Georgie. He considers her a daughter of sorts."

"Corinthos is going to stroke out," he warned with an impish grin of his own. Then his amusement fled. "Do you think Morgan will go after a woman if ordered? He is the one that is a worry in that organization."

"There will be hell to pay if he does. But I doubt it. Georgie babysat his wife's oldest son when he was baby. She and Elizabeth were friendly with one another before everything happened and she left. From what I hear, Elizabeth Morgan is loyal to those that she cares about."

"That she is. Elizabeth seems to be a class act."

"I know that OB and Corelli both looked at her as a sister when they guarded her. She certainly has their respect."

Johnny pushed the elevator button and motioned her in first. "Are you staying for a while?"

Ruffling his dark hair in a familiar gesture, she smirked again. "I wouldn't miss the entertainment for nothing. Besides, I think that Georgie will need an ear of someone that understands. She was never a part of this life, John. Diego was careful to keep it away from her while he was alive, and Lorenzo followed his lead. She's a sweet young woman that has no idea of the hell that is about to erupt around her."


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Sorry about the time between updates. My computer erased windows and it took me forever to get it back and running again. Thank you for the reviews. It means a lot that you like the story._

_Disclaimer: I do not own GH or any of the characters. If I did, many things would have been different._

Chapter Two

Snapping the clasp on her bracelet, Georgie looked in the mirror. Deciding to leave her hair down, she shoved a lock of her honey brown hair behind her ear and grimaced. Even with the makeup that she rarely wore, she still looked drained. Shaking her head, she grabbed her necklace from the dresser and made her way downstairs. Following the sounds of the voices, she stepped into the den and saw that Claudia and her brother were already waiting with Francis and Micah.

"You're earlier than I expected," she told Claudia with a small smile.

"Yeah, well, I had a hard time sleeping after we got home. Where is Blake?" she asked while looking around.

"Napping. I laid him down about twenty minutes ago. Don't worry, you can spoil him later."

Micah noticed the gold necklace with a diamond cross hanging from her fingers. Recognizing the piece, he gently took it from her hand and unlocked the clasp and then slipped it around her neck before fastening it back. "You all set, G?"

"I guess," she muttered reluctantly.

"I still think that I should go," Johnny told her as he entered the room with a cup of coffee.

"Francis is right, OB. You being there today would be bad. Sonny is going to lose it when he sees you. I just want today to be as painless as possible." She rubbed her temples to ease the headache already brewing. "And we both know that my being here will be enough of a nightmare without factoring you in to the mess that is going to happen today. Besides, you get to make waves tomorrow night," she added with a sly grin.

Still unhappy, he backed off because he could see the strain in her eyes. He knew that Francis and Micah would protect her, just like always, but he was the one that had been with Georgie since the day that she had exited the plane in Italy, in tears and sick. He had watched her grieve for Diego and go through a pregnancy with no support from her own family. He knew that she was strong and capable, but his protective streak was in high gear with all that was happening. "Fine," he conceded slowly, not liking it at all. "But you stay with Frannie and Micah at all times."

Claudia laughed as she heard Georgie muttering about his paranoia. "She'll be fine, O'Brien. No one is going to make a scene at the funeral."

"This is Port Charles, Sis. The people here are insane," Johnny interjected. "But I think that the main concern is Corinthos. I believe that he will be on his best behavior today. He can't afford a confrontation with all the families present."

Glancing at the clock, Georgie knew that they had to get moving. She gave a sassy grin as she sat on the arm of the sofa beside Claudia. "Any other lectures, Dad? You want to tell not to talk to strangers or stay away trouble?"

Amusement flickered in the bright green eyes. "Why? It wouldn't do a bit of good. You gravitate to trouble."

"Huh. That is Maxie, not me," she protested.

"You are forgetting that I knew Diego," he answered with a smirk.

Georgie laughed. "Very true, but maybe I just like bad boys." Her teasing had him snorting and she winked. "Blake should sleep for another hour or so. Just don't get him all hyped on chocolate again."

*****Break*****

The church fell completely silent as Georgie entered the double doors. She felt her heart rate accelerate and was relieved when she felt Francis place his large hand on the small of her back in a gesture of support. The familiar faces were all wearing the same stunned expression that grated on her nerves. Instead of paying them any attention though, she forced herself to gather her strength and start toward the front.

Claudia stood beside Johnny and winced. "Geez. I never expected everything to come to a complete standstill."

"I did," Johnny returned lightly. "She's been gone three years and shows up unannounced at _this_ service. You know people are gonna talk." He saw Lulu's eyes widen and the anger on her face as they passed the pew that she was sitting in with Carly. He didn't understand her reaction. Him and Claudia looked enough alike that it was obvious that they were related.

Father Mateo greeted Georgie and the group with a solemn smile as they neared the front couple pews that were empty on the left side. "Georgianna, you look well. I am just sorry that it is under such circumstances that you are back. Mr. Alcazar had great respect for you."

"Thank you." She moved off to the side with him, away from everyone else. "Any problems with the requests I made for security?"

His eyes scanned the overfilled church. "There was a few, but I had Mr. Begotti's men take care of the security issues. All is well." They could both hear the murmuring starting to rise in volume. "Are you ready? Everyone else is already here."

Avoiding looking at Maxie, who was seated with Spinelli and the rest of the Corinthos and Morgan group, she nodded and took the seat in between Francis and Claudia. Listening to the words that Father Mateo spoke, she let her mind drift. The last time that she had sat in this same pew was at Diego's service. Only that day it had been Lorenzo and Skye supporting her as they had mourned too.

"Georgie!" Claudia murmured, lightly shaking her from her thoughts. "Come on. You spaced out good, didn't you? But I think that you need to calm Francis and Micah down. They are wired tight."

Focusing on her surroundings, she cringed as she saw that Francis was glowering at Sonny as he stared at them. Standing, she placed a hand on his forearm and could hear Claudia telling her brother to chill. "Frannie, don't. Not here, please."

Hearing the wavering of her voice, the older man tore his gaze away from his former boss. "We should go then. He was trying to get your attention as soon as the service ended."

Shooting Maxie a look that stopped her cold as she approached, she shook her head. "Not today, Maxie. I will talk to you soon, it just won't be today," she told her as they exited the church.

"You mean Perfect Georgie is done running and hiding? Is the Princess of Port Charles coming back home now that all the reminders of your tryst with Diego are gone?" Lulu snarked. Seeing Georgie walk into the church had been enough to set her back up, but seeing Johnny with the group had enraged the blond.

Trying to keep her temper, Georgie stepped toward the woman that had been a thorn in her side for years. "Yes, I am back, Lulu. It's wonderful to see you too," she sneered quietly. "However, this is not the time or place for this."

Pissed not to get the reaction that she had wanted, she held a hand out to Johnny. "Come on, Johnny. You don't know her and you don't want to. Let's get away from the losers and you can explain how you ended up with her here."

Quickly stepping in front of his sister who was simmering in anger, he arched an eyebrow. "Funny, I don't consider my _sister_ or her friend losers. I think that I will spend the day with Claudia since she flew all the way from Italy to be here." Turning to walk away, he inwardly winced. He had known that she had a tendency to be selfish, but the level of spite that he had just observed floored him. There had to a history between the two women to create such hatred, more than he knew anyway. Lulu acted like she was the one that was wronged when what he had heard made it the exact opposite.

Hearing another voice call her name, Georgie turned, prepared to lose her cool. All she wanted was to get away from the church and see her son. Spotting Elizabeth staring at her and Francis with questioning eyes, she grabbed Francis' hand to stop him before turning to embrace the woman. They had been relatively close when she had babysat Cam when he was younger. "Hi. Long time, huh?"

Enfolding the younger woman into a hug, Elizabeth whispered in her ear. "You have no idea how relieved I am to see that you are safe. I missed you, Georgie." Pulling away, she immediately wrapped her arms around Francis and kissed his cheek. "I missed you too, you know. I am sure they have phones wherever you were at the last four to five years."

"It's a long story, Little Bit. We'll catch up though. I am back for good." He flashed a sincere smile. Elizabeth had wormed her way into his heart years ago with her feisty attitude. There had never been a dull moment while guarding the young artist.

Grinning at one of her favorite former guards, she felt Jason behind her and knew that Georgie was uneasy by the flash of her eyes. "Georgie, call me. Cam would love to see you and you have to meet Jake. We can catch up, maybe do lunch sometime soon."

"I could really use some Kelly's," she agreed. Saying a goodbye and looking at her sister, she felt her stomach clench. She wanted her family back, but she knew that they had hated Diego. She was concerned that once everything was out in the open, the hope that she felt at seeing Maxie today would be extinguished.

"You were right, Johnny. This town is freaking nuts." Claudia slipped her heels off as she settled into the plush seat as the limo pulled away. "And your blond tart should really learn to think before talking."

"I already told you that she isn't 'my' anything. But I have never seen that side of her before," he admitted.

Elbowing Francis as he snorted in disbelief, Georgie sighed as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back. "Fair warning, you will see that a lot when I am around. I don't think she can control herself from being that way with me."

"Why? She slept with your husband, right?"

Cracking her eyelids, she saw the questions in his dark eyes. "Yeah, but I don't care about that anymore. It's the past. Her and Dillon actually did me a favor by sleeping together." Her lips curved for a second before she sat forward and grabbed a bottle of water. "Look, Johnny, you should probably discuss this with her. Lulu and I aren't close, never were. Heck, I haven't laid eyes on her since the day that I left three years ago. I honestly couldn't tell you what her problem is now."

"But she was going to drag you through the mud," Claudia pointed out, but knowing that her friend would not bash the other woman. Georgie had to be really backed into a corner before she fought back.

"Not to change the subject, but can you watch Blake tomorrow night?" Georgie asked her. "OB, Frannie, and I have to go to the damn meeting and I would prefer that someone else was in the house besides Micah and Shane. Blake isn't use to being left with anyone too much."

"Do you need me there?" she asked her brother.

"No. I would actually rather you not be there. It's gonna be ugly."

"Then of course I will watch the little monster."

"You are going to need more guards after this," Johnny pointed out. "While you are turning decisions over to O'Brien, you are still the one that will be the target if anything happens, Georgie. Honestly, you should have more than just two there tomorrow."

"That's a problem at the moment," Francis told him. "We aren't sure of which guards that were here are still loyal. I'll remain Georgie's along with O'Brien of course. And Shane and Micah will stay on Blake until we know where we stand with the others."

Johnny frowned. While he had not sensed that Morgan was going to be a danger, Corinthos would be. And after O'Brien was announced in charge, he only feared that he would become unpredictable in his pursuit of going after the territories. "I did hear something that might interest you. One of my men said that there is tension between Jason and Sonny since he married Elizabeth. Corinthos may go behind Jason's back in trying something."

"Not a surprise. Sonny always had to be first. That is the main reason that he fought so hard in the past to keep Little Bit and Jason apart. I'm expecting their partnership to implode at any time." Francis trailed off as he noticed that Johnny was not paying attention. Looking beside him, he shook his head at seeing that Georgie was asleep. "She's exhausted. Coming back here is harder on her than we thought it would be."

"Maybe you should send her back to Italy after everything is settled," Claudia suggested.

Francis rubbed his face. "Not possible." Looking to make sure that she was still out, he sighed heavily. "Moves are already being made. The villa was bombed last night. It's a complete loss."

Gasping, Claudia clenched her hands. "Jesus. How many men did you guys lose that were left there?"

"All of them," Micah bit out.

"She and that little boy have got to have more guards, Corelli," Johnny stated flatly, his eyes resting on Georgie. "If you can't trust your men, then I will assign some of my own if you and O'Brien agree."

"Blondie will freak," Claudia warned him with a laugh.

"Lulu's opinion doesn't really matter. Keeping your friend and her boy safe is just a bit more important," he told her. "I'm sure you realize what they did by taking out the guards and house, right?" he asked Francis, already knowing that the man had seen too much not to.

Anger burned in his eyes. "Oh yeah. They took our resources for trusted protection and the only place that she really felt comfortable. Not to metion the guilt that she will feel because of those deaths."

"Lorenzo had an estate in South America," Claudia reminded them.

"Not anymore. It went at the same time. Someone knew that Georgie was coming back. But how they knew that everything fell to her, I don't know. No one knows about Blake."

"Obviously it was not just a lucky guess. Someone knows about her son. But you may have another problem. Some of the dons may not recognize her claim on the organization since her and Lorenzo's son weren't married."

Micah chuckled. "At least that is still under wraps." He shook his head at Claudia and Johnny's questioning look. "Diego and Georgie had just returned from a long weekend when he was killed. During that trip, they were married. Lorenzo knew that it needed to be kept quiet at the time because of the danger after Diego was killed. When Georgie left and went to Milan, there was no reason for anyone to know. Everything is hers by right, and no one can change that."


	3. Chapter 3

_Authors Note: Thanks for all the reviews and your support. I enjoy reading what you have to say. It's one of the best parts of sharing my story with you all. Hope you like this update._

Chapter Three

Entering Kelly's, he groaned at seeing who was working. This was not in his plans when he had left the penthouse earlier after Claudia had fallen asleep. But instead of getting a peaceful cup of coffee and a late meal, it looked like he was going to have to deal with an upset Lulu. She stood behind the counter, drumming her fingertips on the counter, while glaring at him. Knowing that she was not going to let it go without drama, he decided to just get it over with. After the last three months of fighting and cheating, he was fed up with her entitled attitude.

Sliding onto a stool, he lifted an eyebrow as she frowned at him. "What?"

"What?" she repeated incredulously. "You know what! You totally blew me off earlier!"

Scrubbing a hand over his face, he shook his head in annoyance. "Lulu, my sister is in the States for the first time in over ten years. Of course I am going to spend time with her. Besides, we didn't have any plans made for today. You assumed that I would be at your beck and call. Now can I get a coffee and bowl of chili?"

Slamming a mug on the counter, she sloshed the hot liquid into it before yelling out his order to the cook. "How does your sister know Georgie?" she asked, getting straight to why she was so mad. After all the years that had passed, she was still jealous of the brunette.

"I have no idea," he answered honestly. "I just met her last night. Claudia mentioned that they were close though. You'd have to ask one of them." When she huffed, he rolled his eyes. "What is your deal?"

"Georgie Jones is everyone's picture of the perfect girl next door, or appears to be anyway. It's all an act. I just don't want you to listen to her tell lies about me."

Amused at her outlook on things, he smirked. "She never said anything about you that I didn't already know. And it wasn't for lack of Claudia asking. Georgie refused to run you down."

Face reddening, Lulu growled. "I never did anything to her."

"Lulu, just stop already" he snapped. "Are you forgetting that Lacey's father is Dillon? Or that you got pregnant while he was still married to Georgie?"

Tears filled her eyes as she looked down, trying to gain some sympathy. "I explained about that, Johnny. I was lonely and so was he. Georgie was too caught up with Diego to be a good wife. Besides, anyone could see that it was only a matter of time before they fell into bed with each other. She wasted no time running straight to his waiting arms."

Tired of her manipulative tears, he took a drink of coffee and waited on her to turn off the water works. Once she saw that he wasn't buying her act, she wiped her face and he caught her eyes with his. "I know what you did and I wasn't implying anything about your daughter. However, you can't honestly stand there and say that you never did anything to her."

Her eyes flared. Lulu had despised the youngest Jones' sister since they had met. She knew that the goody-goody act was all a fake. Georgie had always had everything handed to her the easy way and people seemed to adore her. It just wasn't fair! "And let me guess, your sister hates me. Right? Was she naïve enough to fall for the saint routine? Please tell me that she is smarter than that!"

At that scathing remark, Johnny stood and tossed a ten on the counter, leaving his dinner mostly uneaten. "Lulu, my sister is one of the best judges of character that I know. You've never spent any time with her, so you have no place to be making assumptions about Claudia." He pulled on his leather coat and slid his cell phone into the pocket of his jeans. "Your drama routine gets old. Grow up, if not for yourself, than do it for your daughter."

"I'm a great mother!" she snarled.

"Then how come Bobbie has Lacey most of the time unless she is with Tracy or Dillon in California?" At her hurt look, he kept his face bland. "You should have paid more attention to what I say instead of what I can do for you. If you had, you would know that Claudia is the only family that I have left that means anything to me. Talking about her was a stupid move on your part."

"Johnny, wait! You know that I care about you!" she called out, rushing from behind the counter as he turned to leave.

"Is that why you spent the night with Logan last night?" When she blanched, he laughed. "Funny way of showing that you care, Lulu. The sad part is that you think I am stupid enough that I don't know that you have been seeing him for the last couple weeks, and it was Milo before him. It's why I have been distancing myself over the past month. You were fun for a while. But I think those days are over."

Cursing under her breath, she watched as he sauntered out the door without looking back. There was no way that she was losing him. She loved the power and the respect that dating the head of the Zacchara Organization gave her. She would just have to put Logan on the backburner for now. She knew that Johnny would eventually calm down and forgive her. After all, it wasn't the first time that she had made a mistake with him, and he had always forgiven her in the past.

Walking along the docks, Johnny thought back over all the crap that he had taken from Lulu in the past. While he had been looking for fun, an easy escape from the problems of his life, she had wanted more as soon as she realized who he was. He was use to her pouting and trying to get her way, but her putting down Claudia had been the final straw on an already precarious situation. If he was being honest, it was only because he had been lonely that he had kept her around as long as he had.

Sensing that he was no longer alone, he scanned the shadows along the pier walkway. His hand rested on his glock that was tucked into the waistband of his jeans and he exhaled slowly when he finally made out the figure. "What do you want, Morgan?"

Jason stepped from the darkness where he had been waiting for the younger man. "I need some information."

Johnny rolled his eyes. "I have nothing to say to you or Corinthos."

"I'm not here for Sonny." Grimacing as he watched the other man turn and start walking away, he pinched his nose. "Zacchara, I need to know what is going on with Georgie. You were with the group that was with her today. I know that you have talked to Corelli."

Pausing, he studied one of the most feared enforcers in the business. "Why don't you talk to Corelli? He is the one that you should be speaking to. I don't even know that young woman."

"But your sister does." Jason shoved his hands into his pockets. "Look, I know that you don't trust me. I get that. But Elizabeth cares for Georgie, a lot. Seeing her with Corelli and the other guard makes it pretty damn obvious that Georgie Jones never lost her connection to the Alcazar family. If she's in danger, and back in Port Charles, it would be best for all concerned for her to have as much protection as possible. Georgie never realized the true danger of being involved in this world that we are stuck in."

The sound of raised female voices cut off Johnny's retort and both men exchanged looks before heading toward the sounds of an argument gearing up.

*****Break*****

Georgie looked out at Wyndamere, leaning against the wooden railing of the docks. Her eyes narrowed in the twilight as her thoughts drifted to the past. While she refused to verbally acknowledge where she was, her heart thundered in her chest, making her all too aware that this was the pier where Diego had been killed. When she had left the house after getting Blake down for the night, she had unconsciously made her way to the location without hesitation. She needed the closure, especially being back in her hometown and around the very people that had made it impossible for her to stay.

Three years had passed. Three years in which she had been forced to take care of her son without his father. Now Georgie knew it was time to say goodbye to the person that had given her more happiness in what little time that they were together than she had ever experienced before. Closing her eyes, she pulled her coat tighter around her body as the wind picked up and snow flurries started to fall.

"Georgie, we need to go," Francis urged softly. He had tried his best to talk her out of taking a walk this evening, but her stubbornness has won out. He had finally relented; knowing that being stuck inside was smothering her. Back in Italy, Georgie and Blake had spent most of their time outside. The property that Lorenzo had secured for his daughter-in-law and grandson had been vast, and as safe as possible.

Stepping back, she linked her arm through his as they retraced their steps. Tilting her head to look up at him, she gave him a sweet smile. "Thank you for coming with me. I needed to get out of that house for just a little bit."

"No problem, kid. I know that you hate being on lockdown and aren't use to it. After tomorrow night, hopefully things will start to quiet down."

She looked up at him with sad brown eyes and a trace of bitterness. "Somehow I doubt that, Francis. We both know that it isn't going to be that easy."

"Oh my God! It is true! You're really home."

Recognizing the voice, Georgie tensed. At one point, she would have squealed with excitement at hearing the very same voice that now made her cringe. Blanking her features, Georgie looked toward the steps. "Hello, Brook."

Brooklyn Ashton, once her best friend, glared at her in disbelief. Her eyes took in Georgie's appearance and the one guard that stood close while another obviously armed man followed at a discreet distance before finally resting back on her face. "I can't believe that you finally showed your face back in PC. All it took was another death connected to the Alcazar's. You gonna run away again without a word? We're kinda getting used to it by now."

"I'm not doing this with you tonight," Georgie warned. "You and everyone else made it painfully clear that you couldn't support me when I needed it most."

Brook tossed her hands out to the side in a show of temper. "Because you refused to see the truth, Georgie! Jesus! What the hell was so damn great about Diego that you turned your back on your family and friends? And then you vanished after he was killed! Maxie, who I can't even stand, was a freakin mess! And you caused all that!"

Untangling her arm from Francis, who was shaking his head, Georgie lifted an eyebrow as she stepped toward the stairs. "Maxie and Mac were not exactly the injured parties that they want people to believe. You don't know the whole story, Brook. I had my reasons for leaving, none of which are your business."

"You were my best friend!" Brook yelled, her voice echoing along the piers. "Hell, Georgie, you were married to Dillon and we were freakin family at one point! You never even looked back or fought for the life that you supposedly wanted with him!"

Georgie felt her own face redden under the attack that was being launched against her. She took a couple steps toward her old friend before gaining control over her emotions. "Get over it, Brook," she hissed, her voice low enough that her guards couldn't hear her. "We both know that Dillon and I were doomed to fail from the beginning. And for the record, he was the one who couldn't keep his pants on."

"Because you couldn't stay the hell away from Diego!" she screamed. "From the day that he put that damn gun to your head and dragged you out of Kelly's, you were blind to him. It's sickening, Georgie! I'm glad that he was killed. Maybe you will finally open your eyes to how he used you! Hell, he worked with Lulu to break you and Dillon up! It was his idea!"

Ignoring the movement out of the corner of her eyes as Jason and Johnny joined Francis and Micah in watching the confrontation, Georgie let a large grin splay across her face. Her usually sweet and tender voice was harsh and full of sarcasm when she spoke again, looking straight into the tear filled eyes of her former best friend. "What bothers you the most, Brook? Is it that Diego and I were happy together or that you couldn't accept that he was using you from the beginning? Are you still pissed that you weren't enough? Or are you still upset because I took up for him and saw the good in him that none of you wanted to admit was there?" When the other woman only sputtered, unable to form a response, Georgie let her eyes fill with the anger that she had kept hidden since the start of the conversation. "Stay away from me and my family, Brook. This is the only warning that you will get."

"You've changed," she whispered brokenly. "You aren't the same girl that I knew, that I loved like a sister."

"Because I am no longer the doormat that I was? Then I am happy that I have changed. I mean it, stay away from me and those that I care about. I am done explaining and defending myself to all of you that will never accept my decisions."

Breaking into tears, Brook streaked up the stairs and away from the group. Waiting until she was sure that she had left, Georgie slowly turned her attention to the two men that had joined them. She could see that Johnny's dark eyes were sparkling in amusement, but Jason's were flat, with the icy coldness that she remembered well.

Micah stepped forward. "We need to get you back home, G."

"Wait. I really need to talk to you, Georgie." Jason started forward but stopped when she tensed noticeably.

Her eyes flared but before she could say anything, Francis interrupted them. "Zacchara, will you walk with Georgie and Micah? I think that Morgan and I need to have a chat."

Johnny fell into step beside Georgie as Micah urged her up the stairs. She looked over her shoulder and gave Jason a glare that was unlike anything the others had ever seen from her.

A feeling of unease shot down Johnny's spine once they were almost to the edge of the docks, near a Corinthos-Morgan warehouse. Seconds later, he knocked Georgie to the ground as gunshots rang through the darkness. Hearing Micah's sharp inhalation and then painful groan, he waited for Georgie to make a sound. When she remained silent and all he could hear was Francis and Morgan's footsteps thundering on the wooden planks, he pulled his glock out and prepared for the worse as more gunfire erupted through the night. "Georgie," he murmured, pulling her back into a corner. "Answer me! Are you okay?"

Her hand clutched his leather coat from behind and he could feel her trembling. Looking quickly over his shoulder, he cursed at seeing that her left hand was applying pressure to her side and covered in blood. "Jesus," he breathed. "Come on, stay with me until we can get you out of here." He could see Francis rounding the crates when she slumped into him, her body going completely limp.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

A feeling of unease shot down Johnny's spine once they were almost to the edge of the docks, near a Corinthos-Morgan warehouse. Seconds later, he knocked Georgie to the ground as gunshots rang through the darkness. Hearing Micah's sharp inhalation and then painful groan, he waited for Georgie to make a sound. When she remained silent and all he could hear was Francis and Morgan's footsteps thundering on the wooden planks, he pulled his glock out and prepared for the worst as more gunfire erupted through the night. "Georgie," he murmured, pulling her back into a corner. "Answer me! Are you okay?"

Her hand clutched his leather coat from behind and he could feel her trembling. Looking quickly over his shoulder, he cursed at seeing that her left hand was applying pressure to her side and covered in blood. Her expressive, dark eyes were glazed with pain. "Jesus," he breathed. "Come on, stay with me until we can get you out of here." He could see Francis rounding the crates when she slumped into him, her body going completely limp.

Jason fired in the direction of where the sniper had to be as Francis raced to the young woman that Johnny now had on the ground while he held pressure to her wound. From where he was partially hidden behind some crates, Jason could see that her other guard was down with a bullet wound in chest.

Needing to gage the extent of her injury, Johnny jerked Georgie's coat open and then carefully eased her shirt up enough to get a good look. "It's a through and through," he muttered, relief coating his voice. "I think she was more stunned than anything. She's gonna need sewed up but I don't think it's too bad."

"Thank God." Francis watched as she stirred a bit before turning his attention to his dead friend. "Micah is gone. One went straight through the heart."

More shots rang out and Jason returned fire while Francis also fired toward the dark building.

"Go! Get her back to the house. She can be treated there. Tell my partner that I am going to be dealing with the PCPD and arranging for Micah to be taken care of. I will get back there as soon as I can, but I want Georgie the hell out of here, Zacchara." Francis trailed off as several of the Zacchara employees arrived, having heard the chaos from where they had been unloading a shipment. He watched out of the corner of his eye as Johnny easily lifted a semi-conscious Georgie and was covered by his men as they slipped off the docks.

Jason moved closer to his onetime friend and saw his eyes narrowed in concentration. The ambush had immediately slacked off once the Zacchara heir had gotten Georgie away. The fact did not go unnoticed. "Damn it, Francis. What the hell is going on? She was lucky tonight that she wasn't killed."

Frustrated, he bent down and closed Micah's eyes before scanning the darkness once more as sirens wailed in the distance. Ignoring Jason's outburst, he asked a question of his own. He already knew the answer, but was praying that he was mistaken. "Did you recognize the men? I thought that I saw…"

"Manny Ruiz," Jason interrupted. "Care to explain why the Ruiz family is trying to murder Georgie Jones and moving in on my territory to do so?"

"He doesn't want her dead, Morgan. And that is the problem," Francis growled. "Manny is systematically taking out all her protection because he intends to take Georgie unharmed. I guarantee that the bullet that hit her was meant for Zacchara."

Understanding what Francis wasn't elaborating, Jason's face darkened. While confused about the entire situation concerning the youngest Jones girl, he knew that he would align his self with Francis to help protect her from that horror. Sonny had already been spouting off about her connection to the Alcazar's and what her being back now meant. The danger from Sonny was why he had approached Zacchara this evening, wanting a meeting with Francis. Now he was learning that another mob family, one of the most vicious in their world, was already attempting to harm her. "Once the inept cops leave, I think we need to lay all the cards on the table, Corelli. Elizabeth would never forgive me if I didn't help protect Georgie."

Cool hazel eyes assessed the enforcer. "Fine. You have a lot to catch up on though, Jason. Nothing you have been told is correct. You've been lied to for years."

He was interrupted from demanding an answer to that cryptic remark when Mac, Lucky, and Harper rushed onto the docks.

"Do not mention that Georgie was here!" Francis murmured before moving away and toward the angry police commissioner.

*****Break*****

Carrying the petite brunette across the living room while she insisted that she could walk, Johnny tightened his hold as she wiggled in his grasp. "Georgie, stop!" he told her adamantly but still in a soft voice. "Fighting me is only making you bleed more. You passed out. You aren't fine."

"You are overreacting." She hissed as a sharp pain robbed her of breath as he eased her onto the couch.

Giving her a knowing look, he lifted a dark eyebrow but remained silent as O'Brien hurried into the room.

"Jesus!" The dark expression on his face had Georgie swallowing when she saw the rage that he was not bothering to conceal.

"OB, it's not that bad. It painful, but I've been hurt worse," she tried to reassure him.

Opening the medical kit, he shook his head at her attempt to make light of her injury. "Georgianna, you were freakin shot. Micah is dead. You are damn lucky that Zacchara here has a level head on his shoulders since Francis was too busy speaking to Morgan. Bringing you back to this town was a mistake."

A tear escaped down her cheek at the mention of her friend's death. Brushing it away and then wincing as he started to clean the wound, she inhaled sharply. "Safety's an illusion, OB. We both know that, probably better than most. But I won't risk my son by staying here. I want to go back to Milan as soon as the meeting is over."

Stopping suddenly, he briefly met her eyes. They had tried to keep the news away from her until after the meeting tomorrow night, but now it was impossible. "The estate in Italy and the compound in South America were destroyed, Georgie. Everything is gone. Everyone is gone," he admitted painfully.

Knocking his hands away from where he was securing the bandage, she scrambled into a sitting position, ignoring the pain. "There were over a hundred men scattered between both properties, Johnny! You're wrong! There is no way!"

"He's correct, Georgie." Francis stood at the entrance of the room with Jason behind him, the former staring at the Irish man in disbelief. "You can't leave. You are in too much danger."

"From who? Corinthos and the man standing behind you?" she sneered. Struggling to her feet, she swayed but shoved away the two sets of hands that were close enough to try and get her to remain sitting. "I trust you as much as I would Sam McCall with my son and our security, Jason. Why are you did you bring him into my home, Francis?"

Francis dreaded telling her the news, but she had to be aware. The more informed that she was of the threat, the better they could protect her. Running a hand through his short hair, he exchanged a telling glance with his best friend before focusing on her. "It wasn't Sonny's or Jason's men on the pier, Georgie. It was Ruiz."

Georgie didn't flinch or even make a sound. The only indication that she had even heard the words was the narrowing of her eyes for a split second before she looked down, blocking all three men of reading what she was thinking.

The light footsteps approaching the room at a rapid pace caused her to shake her head to clear her mind. Her lips curved upward automatically as her sleep tousled baby boy scampered into the room. Biting her lip to keep from groaning as he hugged her tightly, she braced herself and slowly bent down. "What are you doing up, sweetie?"

Innocent dark eyes searched hers before he shook his head and wrapped his little arms around her neck. "Noisy."

Lowering her voice, she leaned close to him. "Let's get you tucked back in to bed. I'll stay with you until you fall back asleep."

"Let me carry him, Georgie."

She cast a disgusted look in Jason's direction. "I'll manage, O'Brien. Make sure that he," she inclined her toward Jason sharply, "finds his way off _my_ property before I get back."

She started to try and lift Blake, but was stopped when Johnny bent down to the little boy's eye level, gaining his attention. "How 'bout a piggyback ride, Blake? Claudia told me that you love them."

Johnny carried the toddler up the stairs while keeping a close watch on his pale mother. He had known that there was no way that she could carry him but that she wouldn't admit it. Waiting until she had soothed Blake back to sleep, he stopped her in the hallway before she could escape into her own room.

"Before you go change, I want to talk to you."

"Look, Johnny, I really appreciate what you did for me tonight. You saved my life."

"Georgie, you don't have to thank me for that." He shoved his hands into his jean pockets to keep from reaching for her when she swayed a bit and leaned against the wall next to what he assumed was her bedroom door. "Claudia loves you like a sister and that little boy in there like a nephew. I don't know the entire story or the circumstances, but I do know that you are in over your head here. From what I have heard and researched, O'Brien is more than capable of running Lorenzo's business. But I think you need more security, especially after tonight what happened tonight," he added.

Needing to sit down, she moved past him to open her door but stumbled.

Unable to watch her struggle any longer, Johnny moved closer and carefully wrapped an arm around her, supporting her as they entered the room. When she didn't protest, he knew that the pain taking a heavy toll on her. Her eyes were glazed with it and she was shaking slightly.

"I hate this town," she muttered. "It only brings misery."

"Unfortunately I think that you're stuck being here."

"Come on, Johnny. You know as well I as I do that I have enough money to start over somewhere else." She hissed as sitting down caused pain to shot through her side. Digging her fingers into the bedspread to keep from crying, she took a deep breath. "Why do you care anyway? You can't expect me to honestly believe that all your help is because I am close to your sister."

Sitting next to her, he noticed her hands were clutching the material and that she was breathing raggedly. He got the feeling that most people took Georgie at the first impression that she portrayed. And while he did see the sweetness and compassion side too, he recognized the pain as well as the strength that she hid all too well. "At first it was because of Claudia. But now, well, I see why she respects you. Besides, we're a lot alike. I wanted nothing to do with this life either, Georgie. But just like I am, you are now stuck. No matter what you do from here on out, you will always be connected to the Alcazar holdings because of your relationship with Lorenzo's son, and more importantly because of Blake."

"I never dreamed that this, being in this position, would be the end result of getting involved with Diego."

"But you don't regret it." It wasn't a question. He could see that it was the truth.

Gingerly scooting back so that her back rested against the headboard, a faint smile curved her lips. "Not for a single second. I learned who I could count on when Diego died, and it wasn't my family. But I do wish that I could walk away from all this now that they are all gone. For a time I was convinced that I could. OB tried to warn me that it wouldn't be possible."

"There is no walking away when you are the heir to a family, like I was, or like Blake is." Johnny caught sight of the blood soaking through the bandage and onto her shirt. "You're bleeding again."

"It never stopped," she admitted sleepily.

The slurred words and the way that her eyes were unfocused caused him to curse. He lifted her ruined shirt just enough to reexamine the wound. He easily caught her hand as she tried to tug the shirt back into place. "Georgie, I'm gonna redress this." When she didn't acknowledge him, he looked up and saw that she was passed out. Exhaustion and pain lingered on her facial features. Sighing, he rose to find more bandages.

Finding Shane in the upstairs den next to Blake's room, he asked for a first aid kit. When the voices from downstairs escalated in volume, Shane grimaced as he handed him the kit.

"Do you need help? There is no way that I am going down there with those three tempers boiling over."

Johnny laughed. "Can't say that I blame you. But I can handle this. It's not the first gunshot that I have treated."

Shane nodded. He had been with the Alcazar's for years. Danger was a fact of life. "She need a doctor? The last time that she was hurt, we had problems getting her blood to clot."

Surprised, Johnny paused in the doorway. "What kind of injury? Another GSW?"

"Not quiet. She was stabbed," he admitted reluctantly. "Georgie almost died. I've seen a lot in my time, but finding her bleeding out, it was a nightmare. Lorenzo went nuts."

Processing that bit of information, Johnny tucked it away for now. Returning to her room, he studied the young woman for a minute before approaching the bed. There was something about her that intrigued him. From the minute she had walked over at the airport he had wondered about her. Shoving aside his curiosity, Johnny quickly applied another pressure dressing. When she whimpered, he ran his fingertips lightly over her smooth face, immediately calming her.

"Johnny, does she need stitches?"

Startled to see Elizabeth in the doorway with Francis, he nodded. "She's still bleeding pretty badly."

Elizabeth winced as she moved into the room. "Can you stay? I can sew her up, but I don't have any way to numb her. I'm going to need you to hold her." Her blue eyes looked back at one of her old friends. "Frannie, get back down there before OB and Jason kill one another for real."

When the older guard had left, Johnny eyed her with surprise. "Why are you here?"

She pulled on a pair of gloves and flinched at seeing the bullet wound before meeting his eyes. "Georgie and I were friends. I've worried about her since Diego died and she just up and vanished. Jason texted me on his way here. I know that she doesn't trust him, but he would never go after a woman, let alone her."

"Corinthos will."

Her eyes dimmed. "I know. But I also know that OB and Frannie will die to protect her. And from the way that your men are on the property, I would say that you aren't going to let that happen either, Johnny."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Helping Blake into his coat, Georgie carefully knelt down to zip it up. Overnight Port Charles had been blanketed in two inches of snow. The little boy was excited to get the chance to make a snowman after lunch. Ruffling his dark hair, she laughed at his impatience as he bounced in place. "Make sure to listen to Shane. No running off," she warned.

"You come too," he pouted slightly.

"Not today, buddy. I'm sorry, Blake."

Blake gave her a sad look. "Oktay."

Hating the disappointment in his voice and the way that he hung his head, Georgie sighed. "Tell ya what, buddy, when you are done playing, we can have some hot chocolate and cookies."

Happiness filtered across his young face at the mention of his beloved drink. Tumbling into her arms, he kissed her cheek before clasping Shane's hand and pulling him out the door. Slowly straightening back up, Georgie picked up her mug of coffee from the counter and headed toward the den. There were several things she had to take care of today before the scheduled meeting later tonight.

She was almost to the double doors that led into what Lorenzo had used for his home office when she heard the steady click of heels on the hardwood floor. Knowing that determined tread, she turned and gave her friend a small, strained smile. "I'm surprised that it took you this long to show up."

Claudia carefully looked at the younger woman. If she hadn't known that she had been injured last night, she would have never guessed anything had happened. Georgie was dressed in low riding jeans and a heavy sweater. Her long hair was falling freely down her back and she looked perfectly healthy. The only indication of her being in pain was the smudges under her eyes. "My brother is lucky that I didn't kick his ass for not calling me last night. I feel better after seeing you up and about for myself."

"Calm down, Claudia. I think you are overreacting. I'm fine." Shoving the doors open, she motioned her into the room. "Come on in here. I need to make some arrangements for Micah and touch bases with Lucca."

Hearing the way that her voice cracked on Micah's name, Claudia understood the guilt and loss that she was experiencing. Micah had joined Georgie's security detail two months after she had arrived in Milan. And since he was the closest to her age, they had developed a close bond. He had been the one that had trained Georgie in self-defense and had provided an impartial ear when she had needed someone to vent to.

"Did Johnny and Francis already notify his family?"

Easing into the chair, Georgie shook her head. "Micah has no family left. His parents were killed in a house fire right before he took the assignment in Milan. I'm gonna have him buried here." Georgie ran a hand through her hair. "Are you still able to stay with Blake tonight?"

"Yes. I'm looking forward to it. How is he adjusting to the changes?"

"He's so quiet, Claudia," she admitted with a sigh. "It's hard to get a good read on him. I'm concerned though. First we leave the only place he has ever lived, and now Micah is gone. He needs stability."

Claudia stayed silent and mulled over all the information that she had heard in the wee hours of the morning. Tuning out Georgie's voice as she made funeral arrangements, her thoughts drifted. She was worried about her best friend, both emotionally and physically. When Johnny had mentioned that Francis had sworn that Manny was behind the ambush last night, she had been enraged. She also knew that in her ranting and anger, she had let things slip that Georgie would pissed if she learned of it. Unfortunately Johnny had caught the slips and had questioned her for more information. And when she had refused to divulge any more than she already had, she had heard him on the phone with O'Brien.

"Do you want to talk about what has you so pensive?" Georgie asked after hanging up the phone. Claudia had been lost in her own little world. When she caught the expression in her eyes, Georgie groaned. "Forget I asked."

"Let's not. Why don't we try actually talking about a big problem that you have. One that is not going to just go away because it is inconvenient for you to think about. Damn it, Georgie! You were freaking shot last night! You could have died!"

"I know that!" she snapped back. "Do you think that I don't know that? Cut me slack, Claudia! I lost Micah last night. Lorenzo, Skye, and Lilarae are gone. Two of the estates have been firebombed and we are losing men faster than I even want to think about. I'm doing my best here, Claudia! Coming here and dealing with all this shit is the last thing that I want to be doing. Then you add in that I still have to deal with my family and go to this meeting tonight and all I want to do is say screw it all. I never signed up for this shit."

Claudia leaned forward and looked directly into her eyes. "I am not referring to any of that and you know it. You are going to have to deal with Manny showing back up, Georgie. You can't avoid it. He's unstable and unpredictable."

Jumping to her feet, Georgie moaned as the stitches in her side pulled. She ended up leaning on the desk as waves of pain stole her breath.

"Oh! You okay?" Claudia rushed forward to help her, but Georgie waved her back.

"I'm just peachy."

"Sarcasm won't work on me. I'm a Zacchara after all. I think it is one of the things that we tend to excel at."

Some of her anger faded as a smile tugged at her lips, but it quickly dissipated. "I don't think that I can do this," she admitted in a whisper. "Even with giving OB most of the control, I'm still going to be right in the midst of it all. I just want to go back to my calm life that I had built for Blake. Instead I am dragging you and your brother into my messes."

Helping Georgie over to the couch after seeing how badly she was hurting, Claudia sat beside her and turned so that they were facing one another. "You and Blake are my family, Georgie. It may not be by blood, buy I love you both like it was. As for Johnny, he sees more than you give him credit for. He's concerned about the situation that you are in."

"Probably because I almost got him shot last night," she muttered with a snort.

"More like the bullet that was meant to hit him hit you," Claudia argued. "We both know that Ruiz would never shoot you. He had to have thought that Francis and Morgan were too far away to give him much of a hassle. Micah and Johnny were all that was in the way of getting ahold of you."

"And in the middle of the mess, Micah was killed. Claudia, all that hard earned peace that I worked so hard to achieve after Diego died, it's gone. The sad part is that we haven't even dealt with announcing OB will be running things."

Amusement sparkled in Claudia's eyes. "I heard that he and Morgan almost came to blows last night, and that Francis had to physically separate them. I would've paid good money to see that. Nothing is hotter than when OB gets worked up."

Georgie laughed and shrugged. "Maybe for you. OB is like an older brother, I can't quiet see him the same way that you do. Thank God," she added with a wink.

*****Break*****

Georgie was sitting in the rocking chair and smoothing back Blake's thick dark colored hair off his forehead. After having dinner and the promised hot chocolate, they had spent a good hour playing together in his room. Now he was exhausted and ready for bed.

His breathing had just evened out and she was trying to figure the best way of moving him without hurting her side when she heard the footsteps in the hall. Glancing at the open doorway, she motioned Johnny in when he stopped hesitantly. Seeing him already dressed in a black suit, she looked at her watch and saw that they only had a couple hours before they would need to leave.

"He zonked out easily."

"Shane wore him out building their snowman. Do you care to put him in his bed?"

Johnny slipped the little boy into his own arms and transferred him to the small twin bed. He watched as Georgie covered him with a light blanket before following her into the hallway and pulling the door closed.

"How are you feeling?" he asked once they had descended the stairs and she was settled on the couch in the living room.

"I'm perfectly fine, same as I was when Frannie asked."

Green eyes met and stubborn brown ones as he thought about shaking her. The avoidance skills that she had perfected for not dealing with anything that she didn't want to face drove him crazy. Claudia had warned him she hadn't been able to get her talk. "We need to talk about Francis seeing Manny…."

Georgie held up a hand. "We will, but first I want to get today over with. One problem at a time, OB."

"Considering that you were hurt last night, Georgie, I don't think that we can delay dealing with him."

"Why? I have seen all the men patrolling the property. Nothing is going to happen why you have this place locked up like Fort Knox. Please tell me that they aren't Morgan's guards," she added with a questioning look.

"Not hardly." He scowled. He still was pissed that Francis had brought him back to the house last night. "Zacchara and Begotti both sent over some extra men. I know that you trust Vincent's judgment on who to send and Zacchara saved your life last night, so don't even argue."

"I don't want guards all over the property, OB. This is getting ridiculous."

"And we aren't in Italy anymore, Georgianna. You knew that things would change once we came back here. Security has to be tightened, especially since after today Blake's existence will be common knowledge. There is no denying whose child he is, Georgie. He is a miniature version of Diego."

"He's two, O'Brien."

"Not everyone follows the code of leaving women and children alone," he countered.

She could tell that he was not going to let the topic go. "Whatever. I trust you to keep us safe. I always have. I just hate that all this necessary."

Johnny patted her shoulder before moving to pour himself a drink. "Georgie, this is exactly what Lorenzo and Diego were trying to protect you from." He handed her the note that had been delivered to the gate earlier this afternoon. "Your sister left this for you when she was turned away at the gate. You are gonna have to talk to her sooner or later, kid."

Playing with the edges of the envelope, Georgie could still hear her sister's hateful words spewing from her after she had confided to her that she was pregnant. "I planned on meeting with her and Mac tomorrow. I left them both voicemails with details. If I am going to be staying in Port Charles, then I have to find a way to co-exist peacefully with them."

"Francis and I have meetings set up with Corinthos, Morgan, and a couple others tomorrow. They were more than likely take all afternoon. Can you put it off until the next day? The other men are okay to guard the grounds, but with your safety, especially out in public, I want one of us there. Shane will stay strictly on Blake's detail."

"I'd rather get it over with, OB. Maxie isn't going to let up. It's not in her nature."

"We can go with her," Claudia offered from where she and Johnny were entering. "You were planning on taking Blake anyway, right?"

"No. Maxie might handle meeting him okay with no warning, but Mac is going to have some major issues. Shane is keeping him here at the house. I would prefer that he not hear what I am sure that Mac will have to say."

"It can't be that bad."

"Mac is the police commissioner, Claudia," she stated with a grin. "Trust me, he nearly had a heart attack when he heard I was pregnant. With all the crap that he doesn't know about, he's going to shit." Tossing the letter on the coffee table, she stood. "I need to go change. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Waiting until she was upstairs, Claudia dropped onto the couch cushion. "Tell him," she ground out while looking at her brother.

"Manny isn't even trying to cover his tracks. He was seen meeting with Sonny this morning in one of the warehouses that C&M no longer use. Morgan was nowhere in sight."

"As pissed as I am at him, Jason would never condone Sonny working with Ruiz. Lizzie would kick his rear." Francis tossed his suit coat onto the back of the chair and checked his gun. "Keep your men on Corinthos. He's the one that has no morals when it comes to getting what he wants."

*****Break*****

The meeting had been pure hell to sit through, but also educational. The young mother was not the pushover that most assumed that she would be. When different heads of families questioned her right to be in control of the Alcazar holdings, she had tossed her and Diego's marriage certificate in the middle of the table without a word. But the sight that had entertained Johnny was watching Corinthos pale when she had named his former enforcer as being in charge of day to day business until her son was of age and wanted to take over, if that day came. At least it was until they were all leaving.

Once most conceded that her son was the legitimate heir and that she had the right to hand the Irishman the power of the businesses, the meeting broke up. But Johnny could see that it had taken a toll on her. When Corinthos approached the four outside of the small restaurant that had been closed for the meeting, he watched her visibly tense.

"This arrangement will never work," the Cuban sneered. "Danger is all around. Do you honestly think that you can protect her and Diego's bastard from all of it? I think we need to talk without her present."

Jason stood off to the side and watched as his partner tried to scare the young woman that had babysat Elizabeth's oldest son. Wishing that he could knock some sense into him, he knew that Sonny would not be contained. The anger and displeasure on his face was plan to anyone that looked into his dark, power hungry eyes. He didn't seem to understand that he could not intimidate O'Brien. If anything, their former employee was just searching for a reason to go after either one of them.

Francis positioned himself between O'Brien and Corinthos to keep his friend from lunging at him. The air cracked with restrained violence.

"That's fine, but nothing you say will change things. But I gotta say that I've been looking forward to discussing my rumored death with you and Morgan. Strange how I ended up with what should have been a mortal gunshot. Luckily Alcazar found me. His doctor was just as good as the surgeons that GH pays thousands every year."

Knowing that there was no way that she wanted to be in the middle of this conversation, Georgie touched Francis's arm. "Stay with OB. Make sure that he won't be on trial for murder anytime soon. I'm heading out."

"No way! He's going with you."

"I'll be fine with Johnny. He's going back to the house to pick up Claudia anyway."

Sonny looked at the younger man and bit back a growl. The Zacchara family had been a pain since they had showed up in Port Charles, especially Johnny. The man was arrogant and cocky, which Sonny took as a sign of disrespect. He also didn't like the way that he seemed to be so involved with everything concerning this new problem. "First you were at the funeral and now you are playing the protector? Does she realize that you are sleeping with Lulu?" he taunted, hoping to get Georgie riled at the mention of the blond.

Before Johnny could snarl out a response, Georgie linked her arm through his and winked at the Cuban. "Why would that matter? It didn't bother her when she went after Dillon. We've already shared one guy, but at least I don't have to use lies to get a guy in bed. But honestly, I'm not stunned by her actions. After all, she started looking up to Carly after Laura finally lost it."

Stunned silence followed until Francis chuckled. It had been a long time since Georgie's sarcastic side had emerged and not that many people ever witnessed it. Most people believed that she was shy, sweet, and innocent since she hardly ever said a negative word about anyone else. And why she had all those qualities, Georgie was not as sheltered people believed.

Fluttering her lashes at Johnny and giving him a sassy grin, she pulled him toward the waiting car. Once she was in the back of the limo, she scooted away from him and blushed. "Sorry, I just couldn't resist. Sonny pushes my buttons."

Stretching his long legs out, he reached into the mini refrigerated panel and pulled out a couple bottles of water. After tossing her one, he shrugged out of his coat. "After that little scene, I think I should warn you that I ended things with Lulu last night. It's a good possibility that you could end up caught in the middle of her drama. She was already bitching about you not being as perfect as people seem to see you as."

"She needs a new hobby." Georgie rolled her eyes. "Like I could possibly have anything to do with your relationship with Lulu." When he remained silent, she glanced over at him.

"It relates to you plenty," he countered smoothly. "It was my going to the funeral services with you that brought out the side of her that she normally tried to keep hidden. So I guess I owe you my thanks."

"I'd say that we're more than even, Johnny. You saved my life last night."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

_"The mistake of you being alive could easily be rectified, O'Brien. You are incapable of handling the Alcazar Organization for Georgie Jones." Sonny gave a malicious grin. "How in the hell that weak girl has survived three years with connections to Lorenzo and Diego is beyond comprehension. Do you really think that she is strong enough to stick it out once things start heating up?"_

_ Jason kept his face blank and neutral while inside he wanted to strangle Sonny. It may have been subtle, but every man standing there knew that he had just issued a threat against a young mother._

_ Johnny's face grew serious and his normally jovial eyes went flat with an undefined emotion. "Georgie Alcazar, not Jones, Sonny. And I can assure that you she is tougher and has more spunk than that bitch that you have married numerous times or her clone of a cousin that you were trying to use to get close to Zacchara." When Sonny eyes narrowed, Johnny laughed. "Yeah, it was pretty damn obvious that Lulu was after any information that she could get. Zacchara was always careful to never take any calls or meet with anyone while she was around. As for me running things, I helped you stay afloat in this world every single time that you had a mental breakdown. Unlike you though, most of the families respect me, Corelli, and even Georgie is adored by Vincent Begotti, not to mention her close association with Zacchara's older sister. Don't make threats that you can't back up, Sonny. I won't hesitate to protect Georgie and her son by any means necessary. If you are dumb enough to think that working with Ruiz is a good idea, I have no qualms of going after women too. Weigh your choices carefully. This is the only warning that I will give. Anything else that you have to discuss with us can be done at the meeting with Begotti tomorrow. You've wasted enough of my time."_

_ Francis watched as his friend turned and strolled away like he didn't have a care in the world. Sonny stomped back to his limo, muttering to himself. Making sure that both were out of hearing range, he gave Jason a minute to process everything. "Your best friend and partner is working with a psychotic bastard. What you saw on the pier the other night, he helped to arrange that. He's known all along about Georgie and Blake. He wants them out of his way. Maybe you should think real closely about your loyalty to a man that would help Manny Ruiz. And you might want to think back on the order that you were given to take O'Brien out. Ask around to those that were in the know back then, Morgan. Corinthos has been playing you from day one."_

_ "I'll get him under control. Women and children are off limits, protected. He knows that."_

_ "Really? You think that you can accomplish that? He already has given Ruiz money. Zacchara started uncovered the transactions. They were sloppy. The money trail was not hidden at all. Arrogance kills, Jason. We won't take a risk with Georgie and her son, Morgan." Looking closely and seeing the shadow of doubt, Francis rolled his eyes. "Believe what you want, Jason. You've been used for years. Think about your options and decide if Sonny is manipulating you, using your past friendship. Johnny is chomping at the bit to get a hold of you anyway. Tell Lizzie thank you for last night," he added before following in O'Brien's footsteps. Getting into the car, he tossed Johnny the recorder so that he could hear the conversation. "I tried, but ultimately, it's his choice to accept the facts."_

_ "For Elizabeth's sake, he'd better. I owe him an ass kicking already. I don't want to be responsible for killing him for one reason only. Liz would never forgive either one of us. I hope it doesn't come to that, but we'll face that if we have to. I'm more concerned about Ruiz. While both he and Sonny are a threat, Manny is the one that is more dangerous to Georgie. Zacchara is focusing on him. I need you to listen closely for anything connected to C&M. I don't believe in second chances anymore, Francis. Not with Georgie and Blake at stake."_

Claudia clicked off the recorder and moved over to the fireplace while keeping her eyes averted from her brother's furious expression after listening to the tape. Instead she turned to the other man that was sitting behind the desk. "This is a nightmare, John. Maybe I should take her to Uncle Rudy's until some of the problems are dealt with."

"Absolutely not going to happen. Georgie and Blake are my responsibility. I have been with her since she stepped off that plane after burying Diego and had her family turn their backs on her."

"Think about it at least, John. She should be given the choice."

"There's nothing to think about. It's not an option."

"Claudia, I agree that sending them away is the wrong way to go. It will show a sign of weakness, implying that O'Brien and Corelli are admitting that they cannot keep her safe."

"I don't care about that!" she bit out. "I want Georgie and Blake alive and unharmed."

"You'd also regret it if something happened to them because they left," Johnny argued with her. "O'Brien is correct in what he is doing, Claudia. Fear and weakness are two things that will get you killed in this life. You know that. Stop thinking like her best friend for a couple minutes and look at the larger picture. It doesn't matter if Georgie and Blake are here, Italy, or any other country. It won't change who they are."

Francis entered the study and headed straight for the liquor cabinet. Pouring some whiskey into a glass, he turned and pointed toward the stairs. "Have you explained to her what happened last night, OB?"

Thrown by the aggravated tone, he shook his head. "No. She deliberately avoided me this morning after breakfast. Why? I thought she was spending the morning with Blake until she left to go meet up with Maxie and Mac."

Slamming the crystal glass down, Francis growled. "She's been on the phone with Lucca for the last forty minutes. When I tried to get her to tell me what she was doing, she locked herself in her room. Shane is the one that admitted to who she had called."

"She called him yesterday too. I thought that he was one your guys."

"Damn it! What the hell is she up to?" Johnny demanded as he stood. "Has she mentioned planning to leave, Francis?"

"No, but it makes sense. With Micah dying, especially after she insisted on getting out of the house that night, it had to have hit her harder than she is showing. OB, they were extremely close."

Johnny looked between the two men. "So who is Lucca and how does he factor in?"

"He was Lorenzo's main enforcer for his operations in Brazil. He also happened to have been close tight with Diego. Georgie leaned heavily on him after Diego died. But after the situation when we were visiting South America last year, he asked to be taken off her security detail. Lucca was the one with Georgie when all hell broke loose. He blames himself for what she went through." Johnny started to pace behind the desk. "If she trusts anyone more than us, it would be him. She never once felt that he was at fault."

"Georgie even attempted to talk him into staying," Francis added.

"Couldn't she be calling him to tell him Micah's funeral arrangements?" Claudia asked.

"Considering that Micah hated his guts, I doubt it," Francis retorted dryly. "No one knows the whole story there, but trust me when I say that Lucca won't miss any sleep over his death. Micah was very verbal about blaming him. He almost killed Lucca while Georgie was missing. It was bad."

Blake skidded into the room, causing the conversation to halt, and threw himself at Claudia. "Hiya!"

Picking the little rascal up and ruffling his hair, she kissed his forehead. "Whatcha been up to, buddy?"

"Playing." He twirled a piece of her long black hair in his fingers as he rested his head on her shoulder.

"Blake, where is your mommy?"

"Uptairs with Shane. I wanna goes with her today," he pouted.

"Not today, Blake." Breezing into the room, Georgie sat on the couch to pull on her boots while arching her eyebrows at her son. "And I believe that you are supposed to be helping search for Nala. I'm not going to be happy if I find her in my room, Blake. You'd better march your little butt right back up the stairs and help Shane find her."

Shuddering, Claudia put him down. "I agree with your mom, trouble maker. The last time that I saw Nala I almost peed my pants."

"But yous always in skirts." Blake wrinkled his nose in confusion.

The three men snickered while Georgie hid her own chuckle with a cough. "Cadeon Blake Alcazar, go find that thing that you and OB call a pet, right now. If Shane has to search Nala out alone, she's going to a zoo." Waiting until he shot through the archway in a dead run, she tossed one of throw pillows at Johnny's head. "I swear to God, OB, if that snake isn't back in her cage by the time that I go to bed tonight, I am going to the hotel until it's found. And since you bought it after I specifically said no to having it in my house, I will take Frannie with me and leave you with Blake. Find your boa constrictor, O'Brien, or I will let Shane kill it like he's been begging to."

"It's a simple snake, Georgie. Don't be so dramatic."

"It's an eight foot snake, John. She's not being dramatic." Claudia had goose bumps even thinking about the reptile loose in the large house.

"I'm not kidding, OB. I've had nightmares since you bought Nala. If she isn't back in her enclosure by the time that I get back, I'm not staying here."

*****Break*****

Chuckling at the slight pout on her face over taking one of the SUVs instead of her Porsche, Johnny helped Georgie into the back of the vehicle. While Claudia had intended to go too, she had given into Blake request that she stay after he had started to cry at being left behind. None of the men were thrilled with the deviation of the original arrangement, but Georgie and Claudia had both hated to disappoint the upset tyke.

"I despise these vehicles."

"Sorry. We could've taken my car since it does have bullet proof glass and some armored protection, but I will feel more comfortable with a guard driving and being available."

Georgie sighed. "You're as bad as OB and Francis."

Johnny smirked. "And I have a feeling that you tend to make keeping you safe more complicated than it needs to be."

"Because I like being independent? That isn't going to change anytime soon."

Tabling the discussion as they parked outside of Kelly's, Johnny started to open the door but caught the glimpse of pain in her large brown eyes. Reaching for her hand, he laced his fingers with hers. "Are you sure that you want to do this?"

"Not really, but I need to." Sliding out of the vehicle, she started to shake free of his hand, but he only squeezed her hand comfortingly while ushering her toward the doors. "Fair warning, you're probably going to be insulted."

Johnny winked playfully. "Don't sweat it."

Entering Kelly's and looking around, Georgie heard the gasp just before she was knocked off balance by Maxie's momentum as she leapt at her. Johnny caught Georgie around the waist and steadied her as she stumbled and almost fell.

"Oh my God! You have no idea how much I have missed you! I've had Spinelli searching for you for months, Georgie! You just vanished and I was terrified that…"

"Maxie, enough!" Georgie edged back more as the petite blond took another step, only stopping when her back hit Johnny's chest. Instinctively moving away from him, she frowned at the way that her heart rate had accelerated. "Don't touch me, Maxie. Let's sit down and we can talk."

Blinking back tears, Maxie led them to a table tucked into the back corner. Suspiciously glancing at Johnny, she bit her tongue to keep from demanding to know why he was there with her baby sister. The cold disdain that she heard in Georgie's voice hurt, but she knew it was deserved. She didn't want to make the distance worse between them by asking too many questions. "Um, thanks for meeting me."

"Do you me to wait for you at the counter?"

Maxie raised an eyebrow when Georgie shook her head. As far as she knew, Lorenzo had not been in business with Zacchara's, so it was weird to see her sister so relaxed with Johnny.

"You're fine. After the other night, you'd probably get killed if you did and the guys heard about it." Focusing on her sister, she scanned the room before asking, "Where is Mac?"

Maxie's head dropped and her eyes flashed. "He refused to come."

"I wish I could say I'm surprised, but I kinda expected that reaction. I had hoped that he would've accepted things by now."

"He hasn't said too much around me, but I know that he heard you were escorted back into the country by Alcazar guards." Licking her lips, Maxie sighed. "I really am trying to be patient, Georgie, but please tell me about my niece or nephew."

Johnny watched as Georgie's lost her neutral expression and some of her control faded. The two sisters were polar opposites in looks and personality, but it was clear that at one time a close bond had existed and that bond had been destroyed. Johnny knew that whatever Maxie had done in the past had created damage that she was now trying to repair. It also did not escape his notice that Georgie had been resigned that the police commissioner had not accepted the way that she had chosen to live her life. The strength and courage that it must have taken her to stand up for herself was impressive.

"Why? You begged me to have an abortion when you heard that I was pregnant." Maxie gulped uncomfortably. "_I_ have a son, Maxie. You wanted nothing to do with him. Remember? You and Mac both were adamant about that."

"I regretted it as soon as you left, Georgie! You just up and walked away, never looking back. I didn't have the chance to apologize." Nervously playing with the spoon beside her coffee cup, Maxie looked between Georgie and Johnny. "Maybe we should talk alone. No offense, Johnny."

"He can't leave. OB and Francis had meetings today. He's here instead of them. Besides, I'm not ashamed of any of my decisions, Maxie. Or are you afraid that you will end up insulting Johnny and coming across as a hypocrite? Let's see….Coop is a cop and we all know how you like the boys in blue. But you had to self-destruct to see if he would still accept you, hence Logan Hayes. Conveniently he is an employee for Corinthos and Morgan. Then you struck up a friendship with Damien Spinelli. From what I heard, he lived in Jason's penthouse."

"But you deserved more out of life! You always did, Georgie! Getting with Diego on the rebound from Dillon screwed up your entire life!"

"Do you really think that Dillon and I were going to last, Maxie? And to be honest, when he slept with Lulu, I was fighting to stay away from Diego. We were gonna end up together. The pull was too strong to ignore. The only difference is that I have enough class and self-respect that I would've divorced Dillon where he just took what was offered."

"But you would've walked away eventually if you hadn't gotten pregnant, Georgie. Now you will always be associated with that family."

"Life is a never ending mystery, Maxie. I don't think that I'd have walked away, but you never know. I can tell you that when I married him, I sure didn't expect to be raising our son without him."

"You married that piece of shit?" Maxie screeched. "Jesus! Did you lose your mind?"

Standing, Georgie sadly studied her. "Just couldn't keep up the act, huh. Pretending that you cared must have been painful. You've never cared about anything except yourself. Whose idea was it to look for me? Did you think of it? Or was it your pal, Sam? She sold information you told her about the Alcazar holdings, Maxie. My guess is that you helped her by telling what you already knew. Your hatred of Diego, it may have been founded, but you did that after he was dead. I was the one that paid for you running your mouth. Thanks a lot, sis. I really appreciated it."

Getting a sick feeling in his gut, Johnny watched as Maxie blanched and started to reach for Georgie. Capturing her hand, he met her tear filled eyes. "Keep your distance, Maxie. If Georgie wants to see you, she'll let you know." Releasing her, he shot her one last dark look before maneuvering Georgie through the diner. Motioning for the guard, he remained silent as she turned toward the piers instead of the SUV.


End file.
